


Rest

by cherryjam (blueskull)



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Hyur Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), kind of?, spoilers for end of the expansion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:35:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25590679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueskull/pseuds/cherryjam
Summary: I can see you in my mind clearlyI can feel you and now I won't forgetI'm with you- Synchronicity
Relationships: Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch/Warrior of Light
Kudos: 13





	1. fog

**Author's Note:**

> Now, for Arianna's "actual canon", I see events happening a little differently; however, I still had ideas for this particular scenario, so, here we are.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fog: hearing stay awake as they are carried to safety.

A startled gasp leaves her as the cityscape returns to view, the void of darkness around her fading. But what she cares about is the figure of the man standing there, the one she had been forced to bring that blade to.

“W-wait -- no -- ”

Stumbling forward, she rushes toward him. Her gaze flicks from his strangely tranquil expression to the gaping hole in his chest.

She did -- she did -- that was what she...

But that was because --

Her trembling fingers grasp at the tatters of cloak near the wound, as if she might pull them together and mend him. His slowly fading hands lift to gently touch her wrists.

_“I’m sorry, Arianna. But I, truly do...deserve this...”_

He speaks calmly over the bond, voice softer than it has ever been. She might almost think it to be a whisper.

“N- no -- I’m -- ” The tears continue spilling down her cheeks as she shakes her head desperately. She knows -- she knows precisely what is happening, and why, but she does not want Emet-Selch to die. She doesn’t want to see him fade away.

She doesn’t want to see _Hades_ die.

“There must be”--

_\--“something”--_

\--“I can do --“

The words are choppy, breathless things, partially thrown over the bond between them. Even that, she feels, is tenuous, like a line about to snap. She feels suddenly, irreparably sick.

The man that had once seemed so tall and intimidating feels formless and weightless now; when he falls, seemingly boneless, to the ground, she follows him, the tears only coming all the harder.

For someone who prided herself in being so _silent_ , she can’t stop the pathetic sobs from tearing past her throat.

She should not. She should not. She should not.

And yet no matter how many times she repeats this to herself, the memories rip through her like the sharpest of knives.

_“Poisoned? Nightshade? Oleander? Or maybe holly leaf?”  
“What about you? What would you make, if you had creation magic?”  
“I know I would be.”  
“Well, they were explicitly created to like you, so I suppose they also have a fondness for what you li --”  
“What would you like to hear about today?”  
"I will not help you this time.”_

It was not all a lie. She can’t think it. She won’t let it. And --

And the way he looks at her now tells her they can’t possibly have been fake.

_Hades._

The thought of losing all those pieces -- all those shards, and the man behind them, has her fingers clenching into the remains of his clothing desperately.

“N-no -- I don’t want --”

To lose him, for what could she ever do with herself once she did? With those sharp pieces still lodged within her, unable to ever be forgotten? The source ever unreachable, because he was no longer here, forever and ever lost to her?

The thought leaves her _cold_. Achingly and terrifyingly _cold_.

“I won’t let --” Her words break off into a choked sob.

 _“Shhh.”_ Hades’ voice should be soothing. Perhaps it would be, if she could not see his fingers dissolving into motes of light even as they endeavour to touch her cheek. _“There is nothing to mourn for. All I ask is that you remember me — remember us.”_ He gives another quiet smile as he closes his eyes.

Arianna’s throat clenches tightly in panic.

“N-no -- y-you have...to stay awake --”

It’s useless. She knows very well it is.

But she brings her palms to the hole in his chest and concentrates her aether there anyway.

The healing magics swirl uselessly in the tear, utterly fruitless. Still, the woman won’t allow herself to give up. Her jaw clenches grimly as she presses determinedly against him. The glow shrouding her hands takes on a different sheen.

“What are you — ?”

His question goes unheard. And the strangeness with which the magics leave her go unnoticed by her. She merely -- wants to mend him. Even if she knows she cannot -- she will try until she cannot any longer.

And yet -- and yet something begins to change. He feels somehow -- more _substantial_. Not as a reed about to be blown off by the wind. She can _feel_ him. And -- her tear-filled eyes widen with shock. The hole in his chest seems to be smaller.

Biting her lower lip, she continues to work. With bated breath, she watches as he steadily begins to reconstitute beneath her fingers. He is returning. Because of her. He looks...almost whole.

But that’s not enough. Why is there so much?

She doesn’t think she can...

Her head feels sluggish as she tilts it to gaze down at him. There’s...there’s more, but she isn’t certain she can fix him all. And yet she has to _try_ , because she’s afraid that if she stops for even a moment, he’ll fade away completely before she can do anything else.

She continues to work even as she feels her strength slowly ebbing away, her mind swirling the more she pours into him. There’s no gaping hole now. Only skin. He feels very hot. Maybe because her fingers are very cold. Like ice blocks where her limbs should be. She’s can’t think. She’s too tired to think.

All she cares of is that he’s fine. That’s all that matters. But even that is something she’s not quite sure of anymore -- everything is blurry, as if she can’t get her eyes to focus. Like everything is enshrouded in fog.

She doesn’t realise she’s on the floor until all she can see is the ground beneath her. Her arms move, though in the end there’s not much sense behind it -- she hasn’t the strength to lift herself. Her mind whirls into an endless spiral of black as her consciousness fades completely.

She thinks she can hear someone say her name, but it may as well be white noise.


	2. gravity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> gravity: cuddling up to a loved one when they are too tired to see straight.

Arianna’s mouth feels terribly dry, as if full of sand and grit. That’s the first thing she’s aware of as consciousness slowly returns to her -- then the awful weight in her head, as if she were carrying the entire contents of the Crystarium library within it.

It’s a struggle to open her eyes, though when she does, she immediately squeezes them shut. The light in the room is all but _blinding_. Despite the hollowness in her stomach, she attempts to throw herself to the side and bury her face in the pillow.

But movement is -- difficult. Almost disturbingly so. Were she in possession of more of her mental faculties, she would probably be alarmed by the sluggishness with which she endeavours to lift her arm.

As it is, she merely wants to sink back into sleep. She can’t even remember what she was dreaming of --

“Ah, you are awake. _Wonderful_.”

The voice is far too close for comfort, and much too loud besides, though she can’t find the willpower to move away. Instead, she decides to pretend she cannot hear Emet-Selch --

...

Hades...

A cough leaves her as she struggles into a sitting position. Her arms feel floppy and useless, and she gives up as her palms slide against the soft sheets. Hades carefully pulls her up by her shoulders, bringing her to sit up against a deluge of pillows behind her.

Whatever her misgivings, her green eyes crack open. Her head lolls back as she squints to look up at the Ascian. He stands at her bedside, leaning over her slightly, his hands still upon her. He seems...hale and whole...even his robes are devoid of any tears...

“You are...all right...w-what about...”

“Your friends? Are fine. Even your Exarch.” He leans away, and, with a flick of his wrist -- no finger snaps this time -- he materialises a tall glass of water. She’s immediately reminded of her parched throat. Before she can think to reach for it, he presses it carefully to her mouth, his other hand supporting the back of her skull as her head tilts back to drink.

Too exhausted to feel flustered by his actions or even question them, Arianna simply sips at the water. Before long, she’s emptied half the glass, and for the moment at least, she feels satisfied. Satisfied enough to go back to sleep without that feeling of sand in her mouth. Once she pulls away, Hades places the glass upon the side table with a pleased hum.

Eyes sliding shut almost immediately, she makes to shift down the bed, her head nestling against the pillows as she slowly relaxes entirely.

“Now, though, I’m afraid it’s time for you to get up.”

The mere words are enough for her stomach to twist unpleasantly at the prospect, her dark eyebrows furrowing in irritation. Can’t he see how _tired_ she is?

“No.” Grogginess makes her belligerent, the insistent drag of her eyelids begging her to ignore the absolutely obnoxious man. Whilst normally she would at the very least find his voice pleasant, it grates on her ears like chalk.

He _always_ wishes to _sleep_. The one time she acquiesces without an onze of complaint, and he has the gall to refuse her.

The Ascian scoffs a laugh. “That should be _my_ line, my dear. I’m afraid I cannot simply let you _sleep_. And regrettably for you, you’ll find I’m quite adept at keeping you awake.”

Arianna has no intention of believing him, nor listening to him. Instead, she squeezes her eyes shut stubbornly, turning her head to the side. He takes the opportunity to tap upon her cheek. The motion has her brows scrunching further. Unfortunately, exhaustion and crankiness make her easier to annoy than she’d like.

Though she doesn’t open her eyes, she does exhale loudly. “Why...?”

For once, his chipper tone vexes her thoroughly. His weight sinks into the mattress as he sits upon the edge of the bed. “Well, firstly, let’s see...you haven’t eaten in several suns, if I’m not mistaken. Nor have you drank anything...asides from the water. Alas, these mortal bodies of yours are quite fond of both food and drink.”

 _I think I will be fine for a few more suns_ , she wants to say, though she knows without speaking that he won’t be especially convinced.

“And I promise that once you eat, you can go back to sleep.”

The words are as seductive as a demon’s purr. It takes a moment for her to summon the energy to reply.

“...All right.”

She strains to look at his expression for a moment. He seems pleased, though his smile is --

It reminds her a little of that sad smile, though it isn’t especially...sorrowful now. Simply...light.

Once she’s sitting up comfortably again, the Ascian snaps his fingers, producing a plate with a sandwich cut into small pieces. “Allow me.” Without waiting for a response, though she has no desire to argue anyhow, he neatly picks one up and lifts it to her mouth. When she doesn’t take it immediately, he prods the corner of her lips with it, earning a twitch of her brow.

It’s small enough to not have to bite it, thankfully. Arianna simply chews silently as he waits with the next piece. With the silence blanketing them, she can simply turn her mind off...

“You used nearly all your aether to _fix_ me. I’m frankly surprised you could at all...”

She really does hope he does not expect her to respond.

“Why did you do it?”

Of course he does.

She doesn’t want to think about it, about any of it. It’s not even a principle of _running away_ , figuratively or literally. She is simply too tired to consider anything critically. Her head hurts, and merely moving her jaw to eat feels like a chore. She should probably be finding the sandwich delicious, but as it is it is simply a nuisance she has to deal with. She doesn’t want another on top of that.

Not to mention the question itself...

The bond, whilst in principle seeming easier to speak with, uses aether...which is not something she particularly wants to expend now, minute the amount is. Unfortunately, she supposes she will simply have to speak aloud. Writing isn’t an activity she wants to indulge in. Perhaps she can simply feign chewing until he forgets the question.

Alas, Hades may be old, but inattentive he is not. Rather than offer her the next bite, he _waits_.

Arianna’s mouth twists indecisively as she considers her reply...though truthfully there is nothing to really consider. And saying it aloud should be nothing...

The faster she says it, the faster she can sleep...

“I...did not want you to die...Hades...”

He looks as if he might be about to reply, until she says that name. He stops stock still, the sandwich piece suspended in the air. His eyes widen slightly as he stares at her, motionless

Then a quiet laugh leaves him as he exhales. “How I have waited for you to say that...”

The smile upon his face is fond as he finally brings the next piece of food to her. Silence fills the room once more; neither make an attempt to fill it.

She feels somehow lighter. She’s not sure if it’s because the void in her stomach has slowly been filled, or because of something else.

“ _Good_.” He sounds utterly satisfied. “You’ve finished it all.” Putting the plate beside the now-empty glass -- of tea, this time -- he regards her for a moment. Then he gently brushes his fingers along her temple and down her cheek, pushing her dark hair from her face. “Now, as promised, you may _sleep_ to your heart’s content.”

Wordlessly, he helps her back down against the bed onto her back, finally letting her sink into it. Arianna’s green eyes flutter shut, before opening once again when she senses him sliding onto the bed next to her. Pulling her against him with a pleased hum, he fusses with the pillows and comforter a moment before finally settling.

Blinking blankly, she grasps gently at the arm slung across her. Her eyes slide heavily closed as she turns to touch her forehead to his chest. Like gravity, the sleepy lightheadedness returns and pulls her toward him, something solid.

She finally summons the energy to mumble a word of thanks. He shushes her with a light touch to the back of her head, and she finally drifts off to sleep.


End file.
